Dinner....without the kids!!!

Last weekend, Eric and I got a sitter and went to dinner with my Mom and Dad. It was such a great thing to be able to sit and enjoy adult conversation without the kids around. :) We all chose Outback which is a family favorite....yummmm! Our waitress was kind enough to take this great picture and even gave us a free dessert to celebrate the occasion! Awesome!

We get to see my parents a lot since they are only 10 minutes down the road, but we seldom see them without the kiddos. We decided we need to do things like this more often so we can do things like see a movie, have a nice dinner, things like that. My mom was teasing me because I dressed up and put on high heels and all for our date night. Hey, sometimes it's nice to feel like a woman and not just a mommy, right?

O Holy Night

In our family, we celebrate the birth of Christ on Christmas Eve. We have a family Christmas Eve program where we read the story of Jesus' birth from the bible and make a nativity. We also sing songs, read stories, and spend the night focusing on the true meaning of Christmas, which is the celebration of our Savior's birth. This year, I bought a special Christmas star and gave one each to the kids. It was to remind them of the Savior and the night he was born, and I told them that just like that star guided the wise men and shepherds to Jesus, if we follow Jesus and his example, it can lead us back home to live with our Heavenly Father. The Savior and his life, teaching and example, are our guiding star. It was so neat to be able to share my testimony with them on such a special night.

I am so grateful for our Savior, Jesus Christ. For His life, for His love, for His sacrifice. And I am thankful that Christmas Eve gives us a chance to really reflect and be thankful for the miracle that is His birth.

Santa Came!!

Sean had asked Santa for two things this year, Bakugan stuff and a talking Zurg action figure. He was thrilled to come down the stairs and see that Santa had delivered!

Avery really wanted a "big girls" doll house so that she could put her princesses and barbies in it. She gave her old dollhouse to a little girl that needed it and so Santa was happy to bring her what she wanted. She LOVES her new one and plays with it all day everyday.

Eric did so well shopping for me this year and I LOVED everything he bought me!! He picked out a whole bunch of shirts at old navy and they were totally things I would have picked myself. :) I also got a pair of boots I had wanted forever and the big surprise gift was a chandelier to go over my bathtub. I have always wanted one and he picked out a beautiful one all by himself.

Eric's big gift this year was a ping pong table. He has wanted one for 8 years (at least) and I stayed up all night on black friday to get one at a great price (it was sooooo worth it). I had it at my parents house until Christmas Eve when I snuck it back to our house. He was so surprised on Christmas Day to find it with a big red bow on it. We all love his gift and have been playing everyday!

After we opened our family presents, my parents came over for our annual Christmas Day breakfast feast! We cooked up a yummy spread of breakfast goodies and ate until we couldn't eat anymore. Then we opened presents to and from the Grandparents.

Sean had been saving his money up since July so that he could buy his presents for everyone with his very own money. He did an amazing job! Not only did he buy thoughtful useful gifts but he also found some great bargains and really stretched his money far.

This year, we had the kids' picture made and framed it for my parents. It turned out really cute!

Christmas Traditions

In keeping with our annual family tradition, the week of Christmas we went to Great Wolf Lodge. It was the perfect way to kick off our two weeks of family time and prepare for Christmas. Great Wolf is an amazing place to be for the holidays and it always helps us get in the holiday spirit. We especially love storytime by the fireplace, the christmas show at the clock tower, and the real snowflakes that fall every night in the lobby before bedtime. It is so beautiful! We spent lots of time in the waterpark, making crafts at the kid club, playing magicquest, and games in the arcade. The time at Great Wolf always passes way too quickly and before we knew it, it was time to go back home. We are so thankful for a wonderful trip and all the special memories we made!